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Rangers' Choo Shin-soo reaches 20-homer plateau for 7th time

Texas Rangers left fielder Choo Shin-soo hits a solo home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, in Arlington, Texas. /AP-Yonhap

Texas Rangers' veteran outfielder Choo Shin-soo has reached the 20 home run plateau for the seventh time in his major league career.

Choo homered off Sam Dyson of the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday (local time), a solo blast that tied the score at 3-3.

Choo, who debuted with the Seattle Mariners in 2005, has hit at least 20 homers in seven different seasons, including each of the past three. His career high is 22, set in 2010 with the Cleveland Indians and matched twice as a Ranger, in 2015 and 2017.

Last season, Choo earned his first All-Star selection after batting .293/.405/.506 with 18 home runs, but he managed only three dingers the rest of the way.

This year, he's on pace to shatter his career high in home runs. The Rangers have 38 games remaining after Sunday's game.

After Choo tied the score, the Twins responded with three runs in the top of the eighth and held on to take the game 6-3.

Choo was lifted at the start of the ninth inning for Jose Trevino in right, after batting 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

The 37-year-old is hitting .272/.373/.481 with 20 home runs and 47 RBIs this season. If Choo maintains his current on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .854, it would be the best mark in his Rangers tenure that began in 2014.

After Sunday's game, Choo ranked 12th in the American League in on-base percentage and 11th in walks (57).

Choo also leads the Rangers in runs scored (75) and doubles (27). (Yonhap)

Texas Rangers left fielder Choo Shin-soo hits a solo home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, in Arlington, Texas. /AP-Yonhap

Texas Rangers' veteran outfielder Choo Shin-soo has reached the 20 home run plateau for the seventh time in his major league career.

Choo homered off Sam Dyson of the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of the seventh inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday (local time), a solo blast that tied the score at 3-3.

Choo, who debuted with the Seattle Mariners in 2005, has hit at least 20 homers in seven different seasons, including each of the past three. His career high is 22, set in 2010 with the Cleveland Indians and matched twice as a Ranger, in 2015 and 2017.

Last season, Choo earned his first All-Star selection after batting .293/.405/.506 with 18 home runs, but he managed only three dingers the rest of the way.

This year, he's on pace to shatter his career high in home runs. The Rangers have 38 games remaining after Sunday's game.

After Choo tied the score, the Twins responded with three runs in the top of the eighth and held on to take the game 6-3.

Choo was lifted at the start of the ninth inning for Jose Trevino in right, after batting 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

The 37-year-old is hitting .272/.373/.481 with 20 home runs and 47 RBIs this season. If Choo maintains his current on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .854, it would be the best mark in his Rangers tenure that began in 2014.

After Sunday's game, Choo ranked 12th in the American League in on-base percentage and 11th in walks (57).

Choo also leads the Rangers in runs scored (75) and doubles (27). (Yonhap)